How To Make Cranberry Sauce
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This easy homemade cranberry sauce is a must-make dish these holidays. Featuring cranberries (of course), sugar, pineapple, and walnuts, it’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
I love this homemade cranberry sauce recipe and it’s such a colorful addition to any Thanksgiving table. I might be biased, but I think it tastes so much better than store-bought sauce and it’s so easy to make. Trust me, you’ll whip this up quick as a flash and it’s sure to impress.
Now, most homemade cranberry sauce recipes include orange or orange juice. But my recipe includes pineapple instead. I think the sweet and juicy pineapple perfectly complements the tart cranberries to make a sauce that’s fresh, zingy, and to die for. My classic cranberry sauce also features walnuts for that extra crunch and texture.
While fresh cranberry sauce, turkey breast, and mashed potato are the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner combo, this sauce is so versatile (another reason to love it). I’ve included some suggestions below about ways to use leftover cranberry sauce, but you can go down the sweet or savory road. Serve it over pancakes the next day or alongside some baked ham.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sugar
- Cranberries
- Walnuts
- Crushed pineapple
- Lemon juice
How to Make My Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
First, you need to drain the pineapple juice into a cup and add enough water to make one cup of juice.
Then place cranberries in a medium to large saucepot.
Add pineapple juice/water.
Sugar is next.
Stir that up and bring it to a boil, stirring every now and then.
Continue boiling until all of the berries are popped and the mixture is thickened.
You may actually hear them pop, which is pretty cool and impresses kids.
Once all of the berries are popped, remove from heat and add all other ingredients (including lemon juice).
Remember, if you’d rather not add nuts that’s fine, too!
Ooh yum!
Pour your homemade cranberry sauce into a bowl and allow it to cool.
You’ll know your sauce is ready to serve because the mixture will thicken and resemble store-bought cranberry cause in texture. However, it will obviously be much more impressive in taste because YOU made it!
Storage
- Your sauce leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, so you can enjoy them again and again!
- You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Notes
- The walnuts are optional. Feel free to substitute pecans or pine nuts, or leave the nuts out altogether if you like.
- Now, you could use fresh-cut pineapple if you can find it and it’s stored with the juices or you surely can buy a pineapple and juice some of it to use in this recipe. If you have those means, do whatever cranks your trailer.
- Here are some other additions you can add at the end of the recipe alongside the pineapple and walnuts: lemon zest or orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, or a dash of cinnamon.
- For a , add 1/2 teaspoon of and , and then 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger and clove.
- If you want to make a sugar-free cranberry sauce, you can substitute the sugar for Splenda or another alternative.
- I used fresh cranberries in my sauce, but you can also use the same amount of frozen cranberries.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this cranberry sauce recipe in advance?
Absolutely, that’s one of the best parts! This sauce will last in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and tastes best when it’s had time to cool and thicken. So I recommend making it at least the night before, if not earlier.
What can I do with leftover cranberry sauce?
The options are basically endless when it comes to leftover cranberry sauce. First, spread it on sandwiches with leftover baked ham or turkey breast. Alternatively, make the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich with the sauce, turkey, and brie.
Otherwise, use it like jam and spread it on scones or French toast. You could also drizzle it over ice cream, pound cake, or pancakes. I told you the options are endless!
What’s the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish?
People often ask how cranberry sauce is different from cranberry relish. The fact of the matter is the sauce tends to be sweeter because it’s cooked, while cranberry relish is still tasty, just not quite as sweet and it also is not cooked.
You may also like these other cranberry recipes:
Cranberry Orange Meatballs Appetizer Anytime
Sugared Cranberries (3 Ingredients Only)
Ingredients
- 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
- 1 cup canned or fresh pineapple (reserve juice and use remaining pineapple later) If using fresh you will need to juice some
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup walnuts Nuts are optional
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Drain pineapple juices into a measuring cup. Add water to make one cup of liquid1 cup canned or fresh pineapple (reserve juice and use remaining pineapple later)
- Place cranberries, the cup of liquid (this is just the pineapple juice and the water, you will use the pineapple later), and sugar into a medium sauce pot. Stir.12 oz bag of fresh cranberries, 1 cup canned or fresh pineapple (reserve juice and use remaining pineapple later), 1/2 cup sugar
- Bring to a boil over medium heat until all cranberries have popped and the mixture is thickened, stirring every now and then.
- Once all the cranberries are popped, remove the sauce pot from the heat and add the nuts (optional), lemon juice and pineapple. Mix and pour into a bowl and let cool. Once cool, the cranberry sauce mixture will be jelled and ready to serve.1/2 cup walnuts, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 cup canned or fresh pineapple (reserve juice and use remaining pineapple later)
Nutrition
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I printed the cranberry sauce recipe and can’t wait to try it. My husband likes the jellied sauce in the can but I’m hoping this recipe will convert him.
Can the stevia be substituted for the sugar?
I had never had fresh cranberry relish until i made yours. wow is it good. We grew up eating the sliced canned smooth sauce, never the whole berry. I still use the canned for a sandwich I make. It is sliced, canned cranberry sauce on marble rye bread with cream cheese. I love cranberry sauce on my dressing. I also love your cranberry sauce in a tortilla wrap with turkey, sweet potato and dressing from Thanksgiving leftovers. I bet your cranberry sauce would be good mixed with the greens in your Super Salad too.
You are a genius Barbara!! A cranberry and cream cheese sandwich sounds wonderful!!
Just wanted to share my Grandma’s cranberry relish with you. I too use fresh cranberries, so I thank you for sharing that they grind better when frozen. I wash them and sort through them to get out missed stems and some that are getting mushy. Then they are ground along with a whole navel orange (quartered). This goes into a large bowl, add a cup of sugar, 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, (drained) into a measuring cup, add enough water to the juice to make 1 cup. Heat that liquid and add 1 small package of either strawberry or orange jello, stir to dissolve jello and then add 1 cup of cold water. This can then be added to the cranberry mixture. Then I add chopped walnuts. Refrigerate this in your serving bowl. When it is set. I add a handful of ground walnuts and a few walnut halves for garnish. I made this for my Dad a few years after my Grandmother passed, he immediately asked if it was his Mom’s recipe, and then he cried! He thought he would never taste it again!
My cranberry sauce is:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 bag cranberries
Bring water and sugar to a boil and add cranberries. Bring back to a boil and simmer until all have popped. Cook a little longer and let cool.
I know this is really basic, but that is the way I like it. Dad always added a sliced apple, but I prefer it without the apple.
I forgot to add that this is the recipe on the bag of “Ocean Spray” whole berry cranberries.
Sounds delicious!
The best Cranberry Relish I’ve ever eaten…. You will never buy another can of cranberry sauce once you make this… Trust me.
Thank You Sweet Christy for sharing this recipe with us. This is definately a Keeper for sure.
You are a blessing to all of us cooks who believe in sitting down at the table with our family, By the way? Your new cookbook is wonderful.
Thank you for working so hard to make it for us.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your family. 🙂
I am so glad to hear that you liked the relish and the book!!
Have enjoyed all the cranberry comments. We always called the ground uncooked cranberries a relish and then the cooked cranberries were cranberry sauce. Made mine for a luncheon yesterday. It consisted of berries, sugar, water and cooked till the berries popped. Brought home an empty bowl. But am sure it would have been ever better with the pineapple and nuts! Just can’t go too far wrong with cranberries. Loved your Mom’s menu. Looked just about like mine. We are a large family of 30 plus. Everyone pitches in and brings food – else grandma would have a hard time.